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Friday, October 31, 2014

I rekon I could try to pick up where I left off yesterday, but shoot, it ain't really that important.
But, just in case ya want to know.....me an' Robert went run'n round town to pick up a few needed items.

Not find'n a much needed fitting for my water filter thingy, I will remove that sucker. Take me a big ol' hammer an' smash it to smithereens. Then off it goes to the nearest dumpster. See how simple water filter repairs can be?

By the time we arrived back at "da house", the mail lady had dropped off my Texas mail. In that mail was my brand spank'n new credit/debit card. I calls to activate it. The nice lady asks me bout a hunnert "security" questions an' walla, my card is activated. I git online to Amazon an' PayPal an' edit my card information. I'm good to go for order'n stuff online. This was very important 'cause I need some tug boat parts.

Speak'n of tug boats, I did a little more work. In the even'ns when there ain't nuttin on the TV worth watch'n, I work on "da boat". You're look'n at right bout 6 hours work on just the deck an' rub rails.

The deck is hand layed up wooden strips over a ABS plastic thingy....what ever you want to call it. Sanded down to a *this* close to a perfect scratch free surface. Ready for stain an' a couple coats of polyurethane. On the sides of the hull, the tedious job of install'n rub rails has been completed. Still in need of a little sand'n. Paint scheme yet to be determined. "What color do ya paint a tug boat"???

Oh....did I mention that my new desktop makes a perfect hobby table???

Now, accord'n to the instructions, the deck is to be glued in place NOW......never to move again. But....wait a minute, I have some work to do UNDER the deck....and...the deck will be finished before I permanently glue that sucker down inside the hull. Parts will be ordered TODAY for that under deck construction. Well, maybe tomorrow.

Ok, don't know if'n I mentioned it or not, but I went out there an' adjusted the air on my water heater. Boy howdy, that sounds soooo much better. This sucker ain't never gonna red light on me again. So I thought. It was red lighted again this morn'n when I needed hot water to warsh my face. The water was freez'n cold....wake me up in half a second. "Back to the draw'n board Billy Bob".

The cold front has hit at Billy Bob's house. Got down to only 43 degs last night......but, it's supposed to hit the 32 deg mark tonight. My god....what is the temps in south Texas???

Now that winter is here....kind of sorta, I've been think'n of only one thing...."GIT OUT OF GEORGIA" before it gets REALLY cold. You know.....lower 20's an' into the teens. I got to protect Billy Bob from freez'n to death, along with protect'n "Sally da house" from water line freeze ups. This sucks.

Some thought has gone into "kill'n" nerves. This is a one month procedure. You know...get'n an' appointment, shots to temporary deaden the suspected nerves, then go'n back after two weeks to kill them. By that time, there will be 3 foots of snow on the ground an' I'll be stuck right here in "yo mama's" yard.....freez'n my ass off.

Bout kill'n them nerves. My experiment with Advil is work'n pretty good. I don't need to kill no stink'n nerves right now. I'm sure there is a doctor in Texas that can do it if'n things get worse again.
But, for the last two morn'ns, I have jump out of bed with some back pain (6 or so). Not all bended over though an' a couple Advil fix that right up (3 to 4). I'm think'n I could probly make it through 18 holes of golf ball swak'n.

Speak'n of cold weather, the "fix it" to the "billy jeep" is put on hold till next week when it's gonna warm up a bit. I checked at the local auto parts stores....spider gears are located in Atlanta. Can be there the next day.

Ok, I'm done for the day. Look'n at that tug boat sit'n over there. Heee hee, guess what the old Billy Bob is gonna do?

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Holy cows, today has been a hectic day so far.....but it's look'n better this afternoon.

To start off my day, I sleeped in till 9:30 this morn'n. Don't rekon I need to say no more bout that. I'm think'n I was need'n me some extra sleep after the two nights before.

The keel has been added an' I want you lookie here, we have a perfectly smooth sanded wooden deck. Ready for stain an' maybe some polyurethane to protect it from water.....in case the boat sinks.
Speak'n of sink'n, the Lackawanna was built in 1901 an' in 1915, while tow'n 3 coal barges, had a smack up collision with another barge. Glug glug glug, down she went. To the junk yard she went.

Well shoot....company drop by....too late to post my wonderful day now.
See ya tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

I'm gonna start todays post with a....."what the hell ya do'n up at this hour Billy Bob"?
Dang, this is two nights in a row that I couldn't get sleep. Then get up waaaay too early. Stress, stress an' a case of depression.....that what it are.
I'm a 6 or 7 hour a night type person. That's all I need an' much over that, I get up all cranky grouchy an' stuff.

I'm hav'n a tough time try'n to decide what to do with these dad gum nerves in my back. Do I kill 'em, or just go on with my life? That's just one thing I been think'n bout. With winter com'n on.....today, I want to get out of Georgia ASAP. But that seems to be "down the road a piece". This credit/debit card thingy has me up in the air at bout 10,000 feet. "Look out great big ol' airliner, this is Billy Bob's air space". An' then, there's this dad gum Windows 8.1 that is eat'n me alive. Did I mention a "black cloud" hang'n over my head?

That cold front I was tell'n ya bout, well the rain has arrived an' cold temps right behind it. I won't be outside plant'n no cabbage today. I planted cabbage on time. Tennis ball size cabbage is not a good grow'n season. Have ya ever plant 4 rows of okra? Nobody tole me them suckers would turn into trees. Like to never get them out my garden. Also, we ain't gonna be work'n on no "billy jeep" today.

Ha....dishes are done. Floors are sweeped an' mopped. Trash bag is in the dumpster. Desktop WAS cleaned. Part of my camp'n site yard was manicured. Dang, I need new camp chairs. Went right through that sucker when I sit down.

I don't EVEN care if'n ya wanna hear bout it or not....I worked on the tug boat last night. Did some more Bondo work, sand'n, install'n deck mount do-hickys....glued two fingers together. The hull is look'n like a Tackawana Tug Boat hull. Ha....I look up prices for the stuff'n box kit (prop an' shaft), motor, motor speed control, servos an' radio gear. Holy crap, right at a bit over $300. An' still need a battery.

I fount a pic from another "ship builder" that changed the color on his build.

Now, in my book, that looks like a tug boat. Yeller stacks? I think not. Black....yeah black. I have all the options in the world. I can paint it any color I want. I'm open to suggestions.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Well shoot boy howdy, that dad gum black cloud is sit'n in my yard. I mentioned that sucker a couple three weeks ago, an' here it is again. Mess'n with me.

Yesterday I was gonna mention that my credit/debit card didn't work at Walmart. I figgered it was just a glitch in the Walmart system an' didn't think no more bout it. I had a few spare minutes yesterday, so's I call my card people. "Your card has been closed/cancelled". Now how the hell can I make a trip to Texas without my credit card? I ain't got enough cash just lay'n round ya know. We talk'n somewheres bout $400 in gasoline alone.

Anyhows....the credit card company tole me what happen. It seems some dude or gang related organization hack into Home Depot steal'n credit card numbers.....something like that. The nice lady tell me a new card was issued an' sent to me on the 23rd....to Port Aransas. Ok, I'll just order my mail to be sent to Georgia. Three day wait.

But I have me some concerns. I have bout 5 things that are deducted from my card every month....automatically. Important things. Will I have to call all these places to give new card numbers??? Grrrrrrrr to some dude.

Now, this credit card issue causes me another problem. Fix'n the "billy jeep". I need funds to pay for parts. Possibly $500 depend'n on how much damage there is back there in the rear end. Repairs have been placed on hold.

Did me a little "tug boat" work yesterday. Did my modifications on the stand. It fits sooo close to perfect. Put a strip of fiberglass down the seam of the hull so's it don't fall apart. Make it "strong like bull".

Then I break out my trusty Dremal tool. Cut an' sand off all that extra plastic. Opps....gonna have to fix that. Break out some Bondo an' fix a few gouges from the Dremal tool....it's almost ready to install the keel piece. Maybe today.

Back to the computer an' miss'n photos. It's 9 months of miss'n photos, not 7 like I said yesterday. Searches were done on the hard drive....they ain't there. Fortunately, I had backed up my photo files on a external hard drive last March....2013. Yesterday, I did another, up to date, photo file back up on the external hard drive.....we good to go. But I sure would like to have them miss'n photos back. I have a total of 7872 photos located in 144 folders. That's a lot of pics.

Well shoot, I got a pile of dishes what need some attention. Water heater red lighted on me again. I got to fix that. Floor needs sweeped an' mopped. Desktop needs cleaned off of tools an' hobby supplies. Bathroom is in dire need of a complete detail'n. Sadie Mae needs a bath....she stink just like a dog. Dang I hate housework.....an' warsh'n dogs.

Oh, did I tell a bout the cold front??? It will be here tomorrow afternoon. Low 40's at night an' low 60's day time. Yikes, it's winter in Georgia.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Rant for the day......Windows 8.1. Ok, all said an' done.....I hate Windows 8.1.

I've corrected, or got my computer back to the way it was, but Windows 8.1 done a gazillion upgrades without my knowledge....in the background, no options, no little "upgrade" screens. I get a email from Verizon...."you have used 90% of your monthly broadband allotment". Grrrrrrr.......this piss me off.
That has all been corrected from control panel. They gonna ask before they use up my bandwidth for upgrades from now on.

On the brighter side, I fount most of my pictures. Now I'm talk'n a BUNCH of pictures, bout 3 years worth. All photos have been placed in one folder. Seven months of 2013 are still missing. That would be Sinton Texas camp'n.....not many pics was taken. That's no big loss. But...."what is mine, is mine", I would like to have them back.

Tug boat news. It was so beautiful outside yesterday that I went to the garage an' fire up the table saw, chop saw an' gig saw. I love my Dremal tool. Builded me a display stand for the tug boat by instructions an' templates. I modified the templates. The stand don't fit. More modification is on the agenda. I like build'n stuff, but I truely love modify'n stuff.

Other projects yesterday included clean'n up my camp site. You know, put'n stuff back where it belongs....some in the dumpster. But I did that for only ONE reason. I need my camp'n table to work on the tug boat.

Ok, I have decided I will NOT be install'n 4 110 pound each batteries in "Sally da house". It's not that I don't like the batteries an' would make my life a bit easier, it's just that I don't trust that the battery structure would hold them.Sure don't want to be go'n down the road a hunnert mile a hour an' your batteries fall out into uncom'n traffic.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Ok, here we go with a new day following yesterdays totally wonderful day.

As I sitted here in my awesome comfortable office chair, I look across the room at that tug boat. I says...."NO Billy Bob, we ain't work'n on no tug boat". On my left lays my .22 lever action Henry rifle....in parts. My repaired computer lays over there on the couch. A Walmart bag full of "tug boat" construction stuff lays at my feet. $80 freak'n dollars worth. Well wait a minute, $13 of that was for a great big ol' bottle of Advil.

All the tug boat construction stuff is stowed on the "hobby" shelf.

Ok, the Henery rifle is hang'n back up on the wall. All blueing has been accomplished. Billy Bob ain't no gunsmith....but ain't nobody gonna see it but me.

I'm typ'n on my own (repaired) computer this morn'n. I spent close to 4 hours yesterday look'n for my photo files, install'n Firefox, mov'n stuff around. I'm think'n in another month, it will be back to the way it was before. Three years of photos are miss'n. But I'll keep look'n. God I hate Windows 8.1.....upgraded from Windows 8.0.

Of course, I just had to mess with that tug boat. Cut some extra PVC plastic off'n the two hull sides. Did a little sand'n so's the fiberglass will have something to bite to. Clamped it up an' applied super glue.

A question was asked in yesterdays comments...."what about "El Rancho Abraham"? Well, it's like this. Sinton, Texas is a very boring place to camp. Golf course an' the Mexican food eat'n place are the only two excit'n places to go. It's a long trip (bout 30 mile) to any action such as fish'n, shop'n or any kind of adventure. Sides that, me an' nephew had us a little run-a-round when nephew Frank's camper trailer was placed in MY camp'n site. Cost wise, space rental in a RV park in Aransas Pass is NOT much more than what I was pay'n nephew Joseph. An' much closer, in miles, to the finer things in life.

Ok, why the hell do my back hurt this morn'n (6 to 7)? Well, it could be one of two things.....or both. Last even'n, I decided I would try another experiment.....not take any Advil. Then I adjusted the pressure in my Number bed to stiffer. Note to self....make only ONE experiment at a time.
Two Advil down the hatch, back to a nice 4....or so.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Well shoot, I got out of bed way too early....for nuttin.
Did my daily morn'n routine an' here it is a hour later. How bout them apples?

Ya see, the reason I got out of bed so early this morn'n was to call the computer repair guy. Maybe go pick up my wonderful computer. He, the nice guy, don't got MY phone number to call me when it's ready. He has Roberts. An' my wonderful son Robert went to the hunt'n camp....or so I been informed. An' as I understand, there is no cell signal there.
Anyhows, my computer is no biggie as long as I have Roberts computer sit'n in front of me. Shoot, it does the same thing mine does.

Now, you know what this means don't ya? You gonna be watch'n the construction of a dad gum tug boat for the next year. Bookmark my page so's ya don't miss nuttin.

But, as much as I would like to begin construction, I have a Henry rifle lay'n in parts on my desktop. I got to attempt to reblue the barrel an' that bullet holder thingy under the barrel. A long tube what hols bout 16 .22 long rifle bullets. Well....I read the instructions for a change. I usually don't do that. As a test of my blue'n abilities, I started with the "tube" thingy. A hour or so later I'm think'n...."my god, that thing looks factory perfect". But then, my eyes ain't like they used to be. The barrel is next. An' it better come out as good as that tube thingy. Then I got to put all that stuff back together. Oil 'er up an hang it back on the wall.

Ha, I just call the computer place (9:30am). Be ready in a hour....so they say. I'll wait 2 or 3 before I make that long trip (25 mile). You know how a hour works at a repair place....it ain't never ready.

Now, while I'm out to pick up that computer, there are a hunnert places I can stop an' buy some much needed "stuff" for the construction of a model tug boat. You know, super glue, sand paper, clamps, fiberglass resin, Bondo....stuff like that. Hmmmmm....does that sound like Walmart an' Home Depot?
By the way....it's 60 degs outside an' got down to 44 last night. With one electric heater run'n on low to keep the inside temp in the lower 50's at night, an' then fire up the Mr Heater in the morn'n to break the chill, you cain't beat that with a stik. Ya don't need a ton of heat when ya got a ton of covers on the bed. By removing the propane furnace from "Sally da house", I save 40% on propane costs. On each fill up, 23 gallons average, I save something like $25....an' some change. Plus the savings by not run'n the Mr Heater at night. Shoot, that gas money.

Speak'n of gas money, I been Google RV parks in Aransas Pass, Texas. If'n I end up in that area, it gonna cost me right at $275 to $325 a month plus electric. Winter electric use averages somewheres between $60 all the ways up to $125, depend'n on how cold it gets an' how many electric heaters I use. My current set up, 2 is the limit. Shoot, that's over 10,000 btu's. More than enough to stay moderately comfortable in a motorhome.....in south Texas.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I got my 36 Mirado pencils. That should last me at least another 5 or 8 years. Now I can throw these 2 inch ones I been us'n in the dumpster.

Shoot, I guess that bout it for today. Pain levels still hold'n in the 3 to 4 or 5 range. I can live with that.
See ya laters.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Robert holler at me from under there....."daddy, give it a try". I hollers back..."HUH, what ya say"?
At this point, I could add all the detail, spice an' herbs, but I ain't gonna do that. The auto parking brake is work'n just like brand spank'n new. Scratch that sucker off'n the list.

What starts off as a little "project" job....to reblue the barrel on my Henery .22 lever action rifle, turns into a disaster. A few tools are rounded up an' out come some screws. It weren't nuttin flat, an I got me a pile of parts lay'n on my desktop.

But....the barrel won't come out of the receiver thingy. Hee hee hee, Google is your best friend....."how to remove a barrel from a Henery rifle".

And this is when the disaster hit. My Toshiba laptop has Windows 8.0 on it, an' ever one of ya know how much I HATE Windows 8.0. Every time I boot up the computer, a little screen pops up say'n "Upgrade to Windows 8.1 for free". Only 3.5 gigs or something like that. You have a option...."remind me later". I hit that button bout a gazillion time now since I own this computer. They can stick their Windows 8.1 far as I'm concerned.

I push the on/off button to fire up my computer....gotta Google ya know. Up pops that dad gum free upgrade window thingy. I hit the options button. The "remind me later" is no longer there. Only options are "Start download"...Now, 1 hour, 2 hour, or 4 hour. That's it, no other options. I clicks 4 hour an' hits the OK button, just to get rid of that winder. From this point on, I don't know what happen inside my computer.....but it don't work no more. I am SUPER HIGHLY pissed off. Microsoft put the screws to the old Billy Bob an' the old Billy Bob don't know how to fix it.

Me an' Robert head up the street to Best Buy to get this thing fixed. Nice little girl tell me right off the bat...$200....and 4 days to a week. I don't like this little girl. She says I'm gonna lose everthing I got saved....my 3000 or so photos gone.....poooof, just like that. I have bout 9 years of them photos saved on my external hard drive....all I would lose from the computer is the last 2 or 3 years.

Up the street is a computer repair shop. When I tell the nice guy bout the Windows free upgrade thingy, he knowed. $129 an' 3 to 4 days repair. An' he would save my photos. For a extra $50, he would do a rush job (front of line) repair. I took that option. Fingers an' toes crossed again. Maybe today or tomorrow I will have my computer back all repaired.

As I type, I am in possession of a super high speed laptop borried to me by my wonderful son Robert.
Now....what the hell is go'n on? All this stuff break'n down at one time....this ain't right. Sit'n here look'n at my "fix it" list, I've had way too much stuff break in a very short time. Is this some kind of test to see what I will do....go ape shit, or is it just a quincedents ( I love my spell'n) ???? Anybody 'member a few years back when that rain cloud follow me all over the country everwhere I would go? Rain like hell where ever I would camp. Boy howdy, I sure don't miss that.

So, how do I feel this morn'n after work'n all day yesterday an' the computer break down stress? Still hang'n in there with my Advil 3 to 5 pain levels.....bearable. In fack, I sleeped a full 8 1/2 hour last night. I don't do that often. The human body don't need that much sleep time.....except in the case of a hangover or something like that. That's just the way I look at things, so don't get all excitis.

That was my day yesterday. Today is a new day.....here come the old Billy Bob.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Up a bit early this morn'n. My god, it's 40 degs outside. But that ain't why I got up early.

Ya see, I had me a good week, or a somewhat good week. But this morn'n, I had this terrible pain shoot'n across my hip an' buttocks....down my right leg. Man, I ain't had one them things in a long time. Just in case ya don't know, that's called sciatica.

Sadie Mae is stand'n at the door.....wimper'n...."I gotta pee". Sheesh, damn dog. Anyhows, I decided I would stay up, drink me up some coffee an' sit'n back an' wait for my wonderful son Robert to show up. We got stuff to do ya know.

Yesterday, we took that dad gum "billy jeep" slap apart. Jack that sucker up, remove the wheel an' do some inspections. Now we get into some technical talk what most wimmins know nuttin about....the differential. Inside the rear end of any vehicle is this gear set up so's the back wheels will turn in the right direction. Anyhows, me an' Robert have determined, possibly, that the spider gears are eat slap up.....only makes a noise when in a turn. "That's all I have to say bout that"...GUMP.

Ok, we get'n ready to head down to the brake parts sell'n place to see if'n they ordered the correct brake shoes. I got fingers an' toes crossed. Will attempt to update this post later in the day.
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Update...

YEEE HARRR.....we got back with ever thing on our shop'n list. The brake shoes off'n a 1993 Chevrolet 3500 pick up are a exact match for the ones off'n "Sally da house". A savings of right at $108 an' some change. This is why the old Billy Bob fix's stuff instead of go'n to a hunnert dollar a hour RV repair place. Robert is under there put'n it all back together in 63 degs, while I am sit'n inside where it's nice an' warm. Me an' Sadie Mae.....hee hee hee.

Some of the stuff I mention from time to time what needs repair, really don't need repair. It's like...."Hmmmm, I wonder what would happen if'n I fiddle faddle around with this"? I could make it work better an' give me something to do. Mainly the something to do.

Now when it comes to "it's gotta be repaired", I jump in there with both feet....an' I tell ya bout it. With only two "must fix" items on my list, all them "project fix it's" can wait. After this auto park brake thingy is finished, the next item will be the "billy jeep". I could probly drive it another hunnert year like it is, but Robert says no.....we gonna fix it. But, before we can fix it, we have to determine what parts it needs. That's bout a 3 hour job. After the parts are buyed up, it's another 3 hour or so to "fix" it.

Ok, no more talk bout fix'n stuff. Although I do love to fix stuff. I 'member one time I rebuilded the engine in my shrimp'n boat. Did it right there on the back deck. Sum a gun run like a brand spank'n new motor. Catch me up tons of great big ol' shrimps.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Ok folks, this may be a long drawed out conversation this morn'n. I got lots of stuff on my mind.

Let's take for instance my back issues. Since I switxhed to Advil from 500mg aspirins, my back an' hip pain levels have dropped by bout 2 or 3 bulldozer points. I can live much better at 3 to 5 versus 7 to 8. I am still debat'n on if'n I'm gonna get some nerves killed or not. By doing so, I may be pain free (there ain't no such thing) for a short period of time (6 to 8 months accord'n to the doctor). But...after that time, I will be hurt'n like a sum-a-gun again an' end up in a ton of unwanted STRESS. Stress from set'n up a new appointment somewheres in Alaska or some place like that. Then the wait time to kill nerves again. Stress in one hand equals pain levels in the other hand. Soooo, as of today, there will be no nerve murder in my foreseeable future. But....there is a possibility, I may just change my mind.

Ok, Robert showed up to help with the auto brake system. OH NO....the brake shoes are burn slap up. But not to the rivets. The drum should be ok. Oh my god, melted plastic close to the drum...that sucker was hot.

Found a set of brake shoes just down the road a piece. Gonna go check 'em out. Be back laters.
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Man boy howdy, that was a trip. Went to bout a hunnert auto parts sell'n places an' nobody know nuttin. UNTIL....we stop at Napa. Young boy waits on us. I tell Robert we got the wrong guy to help us...we need old people. The boy is lost....punch'n keys on the computer parts thingy, don't come up with nuttin. A old feller walks up...."that looks like a old school Chevy brake shoe". Measures the old part an' walla, there's a pic of my brake shoe on the screen. Will be here tomorrow to compare.

Now, back to pain level for just sec. Usually when I ride in a car, or a truck, my back goes haywire....hurt like hell. I'm sit'n on a nice 4 right now.

Robert is work'n on the "billy jeep". Try'n to find the cause of a little rumble com'n from the back end. To me, I can live with it. But Robert don't think like I do. Oh well.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

I didn't want to mention it, but I'm gonna cancel my CT scan for next month. I'm run'n out of time an' ain't gonna waste no more of my precious time on doctor appointment an' tests. I'm done with doctors.

Well shoot, it looks like the old Billy Bob is the one that's gonna be crawl'n up under "da house" put'n that stuff back together. The weather is beautiful an' it needs to be done NOW.....not after the first freeze. I've been abandoned. My helper son has done flew the coop.

Boy howdy, I got "yo mama" clean'n up a storm. An' I didn't even ask her. She do'n it on her own.....say's she's broke. My god....how much this gonna cost me??? I really don't care.....clean them winders "yo mama".

Speak'n of clean'n, detail clean'n, this is the first time in almost 2 years when I fired my last clean'n lady. Cut'n corners don't cut it. When I says clean, I mean clean, not half ass. As ya know, detail clean'n ain't nuttin like every day "wipe it off an' say, what the hell, good enough". That what the old Billy Bob do. Shoot, a little dust, dirt an' grime ain't never hurt nobody. A house should look like somebody lives in it.

Ok, I was gonna post a hunnert pics of the old Billy Bob this morn'n, but it would take me hours to find that many. So's I'll just post one, one of my better pics. Enjoy!!!

Ha, an' you people was think'n the old Billy Bob was gonna sit on his ass all day long....WRONG.
First thing I done was break out some tools. Climbed up under "da house" an' I installed the repaired actuator part. Come back out from under there an' I take me a little break....sip up some coffee an' pat myself on the back a couple three times.

Now the system has to be flushed of the 10 year old tranny fluid. I cuts an' hook up a piece of old water hose, just the right size an' length. A empty milk carton is used to to catch the fluid when it come fly'n out that hose. The pressure pump reservoir is filled with transmission fluid. Turn the key on, place tranny in nuetral, an' the pump go "whiiiirrrr".....pump'n fluid. A quart is pumped through the system.....we good to go.
Then I climbs back under there an' hook up the hose fitt'n thingy an' I'm ready to test the pump. Fill the reservoir again, turn the key on an' put 'er in neutral. Pump come on with a different "whiiiirrr" sound. Pumps up to 1600 pound of pressure an' shut off.....just like it suppose to do. I just saved right at close to $1200 for a new pump assembly.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Hee hee hee, it seems ever time I use a little "spices an' herbs" in my stories, I get bombed. Well, maybe not bombed, but....read carefully, "Billy Bob, you need to replace "Sally da house" with a brand spank'n new motorhome". So this morn'n, I'm gonna set the story straight.

Ya see, when ya buy something, motorhomes included, things are gonna break. It could be a flat tire, what with a dose of "spices an' herbs", I could turn it into a total "high dollar" disaster. But it ain't a disaster. It's just a simple flat tire. The red light on my water heater. I added some spice an' turn it into a terrible sounding situation. It ain't. Even if I had to replace the water heater, it is a simple, and cheap, replacement. I do NOT need to replace my entire house because a little "red" light came on to remind me that something is wrong.

Shoot, while we on the subject....."Sally da house" has cost me very little in repairs in the last 10 years. Some expenses were added when I upgraded to "comfort". Think'n a hardwood floor here an' a stiffer butt cushion on "that couch" due to lower back issues. Floor cost....less than a thousand dollar. Couch modification....right at $300. Actual repair costs probly not over $2000....in 10 freak'n years. That's not bad for a great big ol' "truck" with a fully furnished house sit'n on it's frame....with hot an' cold runn'n water, a sewer system, it's own electric generating system (Onan generator), all the comforts of a "stick house"....well shoot, you know what I'm talk'n bout, "Sally da house" is more than fully contained. An' she is in very good condition.

Now there are some repair issues that MUST be fixed. Like the parking brake issue. At this point, my cost is right at a hunnert dollar an' a few hours labor (bout 4 at this point)...for the repair of a $4000 system.

I been notice, when I write a long blog post...an' I do the same thing, we tend to ask the question...."why is this blog post soooo loooong"? Some writers like to give details. Some of us add a little spice. Ha ha....some of us write stuff what don't make sense. Then there are some of us that just write to be writ'n. But, somewheres in that long post is the reason we write the blog in the first place. Ya just got to look for it.

By the comments I receive, I attempt to change my writing style, try'n to please each reader. You may have noticed, my "redneck" writ'n style is becom'n a thing of the past. That don't mean I ain't still a redneck of sorts, it's just try'n to be more plain what I say. So's people don't have to look in a dictionary to see what some them words mean.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

It's Sunday, a day for do'n nuttin. An' there's a slim possibility I may not do nuttin.

The cake bak'n didn't happen yesterday. Ya see, when "yo mama" goes shop'n, she goes for a loooong time. Too long gone an' too late in the day to be cook'n a cake when she returned.

Somewhere's in my post yesterday I gave somebody the impression I am giv'n up on all the things I like to do an' ain't gonna never leave Georgia. I hope I can clear this up today.

The only thing I can figger is when I said "if'n I had had surgery" I would remain in Georgia for the winter for the recovery period. I didn't have surgery an' I ain't gonna have surgery. There's a possibility I may have a couple nerves killed, but that's it. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Ok, it was freak'n cold last night.....46 freez'n degrees.

Water heater RED lighted on me again yesterday. That means the old Billy Bob didn't fix it. Now, there's only one reason that red light will come on. No flame.....light comes on if burner fails to light/stay lit after three attempts. And what makes the flame? Well ya got a circuit board what tells the gas valve to open up an' let some propane out to the pilot an' burner. An' it also tells the spark igniter thingy to make some sparks to ignite the gas. That's it.....nuttin else. Well there is a possibility of the thermostat not tell'n the circuit board to shut the gas valve off when the water reaches set temp. I'm think'n it's the circuit board. But then again, I'm think'n it could be the gas valve. Now how the hell do ya check a circuit board an' a gas valve??? Add this sucker back to the "fix it" list.

Advil??? Have to place it on the 50/50 list this morn'n. I love experiments. If'n I owned me a chemistry set, I would probly blow something slap up.

Ok, that couch over there. We ain't gonna get along. I sit over there for two days....as a experiment. I tryed tak'n a nap on that sucker. The naps was fine, but when I get up.....Oh shit, gotta take a Advil. An' just sit'n on it, I don't like that neither. Back to square one on the couch.

Speak'n of blow'n stuff up, I got to take my Henry rifle apart an' reblue the barrel. Dad gun rust. It only takes a couple minutes to rub some oil on that sucker, but do you think the old Billy Bob done that in the last 2 years? Nope, he didn't. He just let that thing hang on the wall an' RUST.....in bold letters. But, I ain't gonna do it today. Think'n tools lay'n all over the place, rifle parts here an' there, spill blue'n stuff on the floor an' "that couch". No, this is a job for south Texas sit'n outside.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

I ain't removing that passenger seat. Just moving it forward bout 8 inches. There will still be plenty of foot room if'n I ever go on a trip with a passenger. Sadie Mae don't give a care where the seat is located. She's a good, understanding that I need the extra room, dog.

Dang, I hope Louie ain't right bout me be'n stuck in a snow storm here in Georgia. That would suck. If I had had the back surgery, plans were made to stay nice an' warm here while I recovered. Big ol' propane bottles, extra blankets, full length thermal undergarments....stuff like that. But, with no surgery, I am free to depart Georgia any time I get a hanker'n. Of course, that won't happen until the important repairs are made to "Sally da house".....and I make "that" decision (kill some nerves).

Been a bit chilly at night here in Ga.....lower 50's. But it's beautiful during the day time.....mid 70's to lower 80's with a ton of warm yer body sunshine.

Back to Texas. Now that's a problem. Ya see, I'm get'n pretty used to be'n around people (family). When I return to Texas, I'm gonna be all alone again. Just me an' Sadie Mae. That's gonna be hard.

I remember a few years back, something like bout 10 or 15 years, I would'a been happy to be a dad gum hermit.....liv'n in a cave or something like that. But, like everthing else, grow'n older, changes things. I now stay clear of caves, forests an' mountain tops. Shoot, I got to do me some serious think'n bout this situation.

Don't know where I'm gonna go when I get back, but I'm think'n somewheres in south Texas. It don't get cold in south Texas ya know. "Google is your best friend Billy Bob, do some research". Then there's always the possibility I may need to be close to a big city. Health issues ya know. I ain't got much choice. Did I mention, get'n older, things change?

Now, bout that boat. I chose #2 'cause it will fit (with 2 inch to spare) after mov'n the passenger seat forward. The #1 boat will not fit. That right there is good reason enough to choose a shorter boat.

That dad gum pot of chili is half gone. Dang it's good....*this* close to perfect. When I brewed up my "hobo" chili in chili cook off competition, this is better. "Dad gum it Billy Bob, ya got half a can too much tomato sauce". Did ya know if'n ya put beans in chili it ain't chili no more? But it taste pretty good if'n ya use Bushs pinto beans. Butter beans don't work. Yes, I put beans in my chili. One can to a gallon chili. With this cooler weather, we gonna be brew'n up a pot of real cajun gumbo pretty soon fore ya know it. Knock yer socks off kind of eat'n.

"Yo mama" did a pretty good job of clean'n woodwork yesterday. But dad gum it, she quit. Drink too much coffee an' beat her gums too much. I make good coffee an' I'm a good listener.
**************************************************************************

Oh my god, grandaughter Rainee an' me is gonna brew up a Billy Bob Cherry Chocolate cake this afternoon. Will try to remember to take some pics before, during an' after. Ha Ha...."yo mama" is at Walmart pick'n up some much needed ingredients. No I didn't send her, she was go'n anyhows.

Friday, October 17, 2014

"Holy Crap Billy Bob, do ya know what time it is"? There ain't nobody sleep that long. Well, it weren't really THAT long, but almost half the day is gone.....poooof, just like that.

Ya see, it's like this.....I was sit'n here watch'n that dad gum television last night an' there weren't nuttin on that I would ever in my life time watch. So's I flips on the computer. Read the late blogs, check out for any drama on Facebook....well I want you lookie here, over there on the right on the the Facebook page is some advertising ad thingys. There's my boats I been look'n at.

Well hell, lets look at boats for a while. I did a indepth study of them boats....that means I look at them for bout 4 or 5 hours....pictures an' stuff. A little "put together" research. "MY GOD, it's 4:30 in the morning".

I was measure stuff in "da house"....nope, that boat won't fit there. I have only one choice.

Ok, before we get too far along on this, let's talk bout what big is.
The first boat, the one I like a whole bunch, is 39 1/2 inch long an' 9 inch wide. That's a big boat. Ya got to remember my Mississippi River boat is 36 inch long....that's a big boat. But it don't look that big sit'n up there on the wall. A 39 1/2 inch boat sit'n under it wouldn't be that bad. If I had 39 1/2 inches. What I don't. I have 28 inches max at this point. But wait a minute, the old Billy Bob know how to modify stuff.

The second boat, the one I like a whole bunch, is 33 inch long an' only 6 inch wide. It's that 6 inch wide I don't like, even though the real tug boat had the same proportions. In other words, that's how wide it's supposed to be......six freak'n inches. Have ya ever turn a skinny boat over? Think'n canoe.

Now that third boat, the one I like a whole bunch, will fit perfectly over there under the Mississippi river boat with NO modifications to "Sally da house". But....that boat is not what I consider a tug boat. This is my third choice....down the road a piece.

So what is my #1 choice of tug boats? Each of the three have some things I don't like an' would have to git a little modification of some sort. I could do that with any of the three. But, to maintain the original "real" tug boat specifications....well you know what I'm talk'n bout, ya don't change nuttin.
The #1, Brooklyn Tug, is my first choice. That's the green one posted yesterday. This is the boat I want.

But, last night, I came *this* close to order'n the second one, the 33 inches Coastal Tug Lackawanna. But, this boat is also too long. And it's a second choice, not first choice.

So, here is what I'm gonna do. Move the passenger seat forward to gain some much needed inches. But still undecided over #1 an' #2. Shoot, there's another possibility I may just remove that seat an' throw it in the dumpster.

An attempt to not mention pain on my blog will be attempted. Shoot, that sentence don't make no sense. At this point I have made no decisions on what I'm gonna do. We'll just leave it at that until I DO make a decision. Advil is work'n pretty good. Well, kind of sorta.

Ok, "yo mama" showed up with her little bucket an' some clean'n stuff. I got to git slap out her way, she gonna clean woodwork. She's such a good girl.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Again my legs have been knock slap out from under me. Get a shot, go home for 2 weeks to see if the shot was in the right place. Go back an' get another shot if'n the first didn't work. Another 2 weeks at home. Go back an' get another injection to kill the nerve when the correct nerves are located. He says 3 locations need assistance F3-F4, F4-F5 an' F5-S1. Now we up to close to a month just to stop the pains in my lower back. There is still another procedure to be performed after this to stop the pains in my hip. "How long will this last doc"??? Are ya ready for this.....six months an' possibly 8. In order for me to be somewhat pain free, this has to be done 2 times a year....up to 2 times in 16 months.
I will do some think'n on this. As of today, it will not be done.

That tooth is gone. X-ray was took, girl said I have a abscess. Doc says....."let's pull it". He did. Weren't nuttin to it. I like doctors that do things my way.

Now, do you remember me tell'n ya bout Tylenol III??? How it relieved the pain in my back an' hip from a nasty 6 or 8 to a nice 3 or 4? Well, I don't like tak'n prescription pain relievers, so I took me up a couple Advils later that day. As an experiment, Advil is the only thing I'm tak'n for pain. And it works. Been bout 4 or 5 days since I've taken aspirin. Yesterday my back pains was right bout 2 to 3. What I'm wonder'n is if my body is immune to aspirin after tak'n it for so many years. Anyhows, my pain leves have dropped to a "bearable" pain for the last couple days. Got up straight again this morn'n. Tomorrow may tell a different story, but I'll enjoy today.

I was gonna leave today's post at just what ya read above. But......here goes nuttin. I'm think'n that the old Billy Bob's excit'n an' adventurous life has come to a end. People do that ya know. I ain't talk'n bout dying or nuttin like that. I'm talk'n bout my blog writ'n, my travels, fish'n, camp'n....swak'n golf balls, stuff like that. It will never be the same as it was just a couple years ago.

When I see that younger than me lady in a walker all bended over an' this old feller hobbl'n along with his cane, I was think'n...."I ain't so bad off". I rekon that's part of grow'n up.....right?

Lately, some of the stuff I write on my blog, I don't even want to read it. All the humor is gone.....pooof, just like that. It's the same ol' thing every day....something is broke an' I hurt like hell. There ain't a damn thing of interest to read. I even don't want to read/hear/think bout my hobbies....especially when "I may build a beautiful remote control tug boat". Just thought I would throw that in there. I'm *this* close to placing a order.
Will it be this one.....

This one.......

Or maybe this one????

The actuator part has arrived after repair. Yeee hawwws, I'm soooo freak'n happy. My parking brake is gonna work again. But.....I have to climb my ass up under "da house" to install it. The ground is wet, so it won''t be today. Robert has decided he will go to the hunt'n camp, so he will be of no assistance. Dang I hate lay'n on the ground. After the part is installed, the hydraulic system needs to be flushed an' refilled, then inspect and readjust the parking brake shoes. A all day affair.

Ok, I got a pot of chili to brew up. If'n I don't, the sausage an' burger meat will rot. I don't eat rotten food......YUK!!!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Dental appointment scheduled for Wednesday morn'n. When Robert tole me that, I said "What's wrong with Monday (yesterday)"? I was in some kind of tooth pain. Now it the perfect time to get a tooth pulled slap out. Anyhows...."yo mama" bringed me a couple Tylenol III. I took me up one an' in bout 15 minute....all my pains was gone. Well not ALL pain, but I was feel'n like a hunnert dollar bill.....with bout 25 cent worth of "wooozie".

When the pain come back a few hours later, I took me up a Advil. Believe it or not, the pain subsided to a bearable level. This makes me think....could I be immune to 500mg aspirin as a pain reliever?

In just bout a couple hours I have my appointment to see the "nerve killer" doctor. He has received reports from the other doctor....or doctors. All I need to bring is my copy of the MRI. Don't know what he gonna do today, but I hope it's something good. You'll be the first to know. No I ain't excitis. He owns great big ol' needles ya know. God I hate needles.

Rain....let me tell ya bout some rain. Right bout 2am I was awakened by somebody hose'n down "Sally da house". I'm talk'n water here. Buckets of water. An' it never quit for the rest of the night. I git up. It's still rain'n. I open the door for Sadie Mae to go out. She says "nope, I'll hold it". Robert left a winder wide open. Gallons of water are on the floor an' on my driver seat. Sop'n wet. The winder at the couch was left open. More water. It's 67 degs out there.
Ha....the rains just stopped.

Ok, I got to get ready for my appointment. I'll see y'all after a while.

Monday, October 13, 2014

This
may be a bad morn'n to be talk'n to anyone....or even anyone com'n by
for a visit. Pain has struck with a vengeance.....beat the hell slap out
me.

Yesterdays trip to Walmart was a "so so"
situation. I fount me a cart that had smooth roll'n wheels on it.
Although, it did want to go off to the left all by itself. I dropped off my
meds for refill. The nice lady says "30 minutes". I says....two hours. I
got shop'n to do.

With list in hand, I take off down
the aisles......just look'n ya know. I see tools. Yeeeee Hawww, I love
tools. Man, I want you look at that socket set....252 pieces in a tri
fold plastic case. Look how shiny them sockets are. "Hey you, Walmart
worker. How much for these sockets"??? You DO know that Walmart don't
put prices on stuff like this....right? I get a fair market price an'
throws 'em in my cart. Think'n I can now throw away bout $200 worth of
"unshiny" sockets an' ratchets in the dumpster. Shiny catches my eye every time.

Ok,
you're think'n I didn't put any thought into this purchase. Well,
you're wrong. On my "to do" list is an entry to purchase a compact
socket set an' throw all them others out. I'm half way there. Wrenches
are the same....I got way too many tools. Dumpster divers welcomed.
*********************************************************************************Monday

Well shoot, the day was over an' I done forget to finish what I was talk'n bout.
Tomorrow has arrived.

But we gonna talk bout yesterday. It started out bad....as you can see from above. Today is not much different. But...I had a wonderful afternoon. Well to me it was a wonderful afternoon, but to anybody else, it would have been very very boring. I mean, like who wants to sit an' listen to "papaw" bitch an' moan for the next 4 or 5 hours. Man that tooth was kill'n me.

Good news first. Remember them solar panels an' batteries I was worried bout the other day (low charge rate)? Well, Robert climb up on the roof. "Hey daddy, you're parked under a tree". Solar panels don't work so good when ya park under a shade tree. NEXT!!!!

Speak'n of batteries. Robert hook up two them AGM batteries to "Sally da house" an' disconnect the 4 house batteries. This is just a test. Dang, it would be nice to have a set of "maintenance free" batteries to replace these things I have to put water in ever once in a while. Only thing is, they weigh 110 pounds each. Will my battery rack hold 440 pounds (4 batteries)????

Then we took that water heater apart. It needed a little clean'n, but the spark thingy was black with carbon. I fix that with my trusty golf club clean'n brush. Maybe no more red lights.

Grandaughter Rainee spendt the rest of the afternoon "help'n" papaw sort an' toss stuff. By stuff, I'm talk'n bout stuff I ain't never in a lifetime gonna use again. Stuff that has no use in a motorhome. Stuff that is broke or slap wore out. Stuff that has been replaced with "shiny" stuff. We ate Weber grilled pizza together at 7pm. Cooked to perfection. Now if I only had a photo.

This will have to do......

Today, the weather has changed. High gust'n winds up to bout 15 mile a hour, no sunshine....in the lower 70's. I hope I can survive this treacherous weather.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Yup boy howdy, another beautiful day in Georgia. I'm almost think'n bout go'n out there an' sit'n in the breeze, soak up some that wonderful sunshine. But first, I have a blog to write.

Remember that tooth I was tell'n ya bout a few days ago. Well that sucker got so bad last night, I thought I was gonna die. "Pull it out Billy Bob....it won't hurt". Oh wait, yes it will. It was 3:30 am an' I'm still sit'n here, tears in my eyes, pains go'n up the side my face....into my brain.....I cain't see straight, I need some relief. Peroxide don't help. Mouth wash don't help. Warm salt water don't help. Aspirin don't help. I was fortunate to get to sleep....maybe 4 or 4:30am or so. This tooth needs to come out.....soon.

Back issues are pretty good this morn'n. I'm think'n I should have bought this chair a long time ago. Now, I ain't feel'n so good that I could go out an' play a round of golf ball swak'n, or run'n in a marathon, or nuttin like that.....but I'm feel'n pretty good this morn'n. What is it?....3 more days? Hope me an' this new doctor get along an' he do stuff "my way". But I don't expect that to happen. "An' don't start talk'n no shit bout my smok'n".

Speak'n of smok'n....I met this lady one time, what lost out on possibly the best thing that could have ever happen in her life....she tell me she don't have nuttin to do with nobody that smokes. My god lady, you just throwed a huge percentage of wonderful people out of your life an' into the dumpster. Ok, I'm done with that rant. Smokers are NOT the scum of the earth, terrorist, bank robbers, gun tote'n murderers ...stuff like that. They decent folk just like you. Grrrrrrr....piss me off!!!

Back to that water heater. It's been on since I reset the red light yesterday morn'n (turn switch off an' back on). I got hot water. Maybe, just maybe, today I may go out there an' take the cover off an' take a look see. Ain't say'n I'll fix anything....just take a look see. What I don't do today, will still be there tomorrow. Like that pile of dirty dishes over there. That's the way I look at things anyhow.

Well poop. I'm slap out of coffee grinds. And some of my meds. Ain't got no bread or milk. Damn I don't feel like go'n to Walmart today. 'Specially since most Walmart shop'n carts have screwed up wheels on 'em. Huh Gypsy??? Ya made me laugh girl.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Oh boy, here we go again. What the hell to write about when I ain't did a thing. Have ya ever had one them kind of days?

When you're sit'n in front of a computer, it's soooo hard to not Google stuff. Some the stuff I Googled yesterday, I should be the smartest man alive. My god, there's a ton of information out there.

I got so excitis bout all the stuff I was learn'n, I done forget to "fix" the water heater. I still ain't got no hot water. Well I do, but I know that dad gum red light is gonna come on again.

My other daughter. Doris Lynn.

Holy crap, I spended a freak'n hour try'n to figger this stuff out. Here what I come up with.....

I only got two daughters ya know an' they both pretty good look'n gals. From them two girls, I got me 8 grankiddies, 4 girls an' 4 boys. But I got a total of bout 20 grankids if'n I added right, an' 1 great grankid. Well, I suppose I shouldn't call 'em girls an' boys or kids no more with the new political correctness stuff they come up with. I should call them "purple penguins". Never hear the likes of it in my life.....sheesh. Dang, I got 20 grand purple penguins. That was in the news.

For the commenter Gypsy ask'n if their mother was beautiful too....I'll let you decide.

I sure do wished I could get around like I did just a couple four months ago. This go'n downhill really sucks to no end. I ain't say'n no more....yet.

See what I'm talk'n bout????? "Dang Billy Bob, you a slob". I rekon I need to git off this computer an' do something productive. Anybody wanna put up a quarter. Odds are in your favor.

Well, it's only five more days to find out if "murder" is the right choice for me. I'm done, finished research'n stuff all this stuff. I just want some relief....even if it ends up temporary. I can always start all over if an' when the pain comes back. You young people, take it from somebody that knows, take care of your back, don't be lift'n that heavy stuff like you was some kind of a "macho heman" Hercules....or something like that.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Well, I did my part, but that was many years ago. Well, not really that many years ago , but a few. I have a beautiful daughter, even if'n I do say so myself. An' she had a beautiful daughter.

I'm do'n the best I can on my end, but it sure ain't as good as I would like. Every day gets a little worse than the day before. New things pop up for no reason. Well, I'm sure there's a reason, but I try to ignore them. They can be fixed later.....down the road a piece. Will I ever be the same? I highly doubt it.

Robert dropped by yesterday afternoon. We sit here an' talk for a bit bout my ailments...and the NEW procedure I found. He said, but I'm not gonna bet no money on, that he would contact Resurgeons an' question availability of this procedure in the Atlanta area. Otherwise, it would mean a trip to Tampa, Florida.....or Oklahoma City. I'll still have the radiofrequency ablation (murder nerves) done....but there's still one last option....laminotomy endoscopic procedure.

Ok, me an' Robert go to the Chinese eat'n place. Boy howdy do I ever like Chinese food. It's a safe bet that I done eat way too much. But.....boy howdy, 15 trip to the bathroom last night, I'm hav'n second thoughts bout eat'n any more Chinese food. An' I was hungry by 11pm.

Ok, one more item to add to the "fix it" list. Dad gum water heater has a red light on the control. That means I ain't got no hot water. I'm think'n maybe I got to do some yearly maintenance on it. You know, clean the burner....cob webs, wasp nests....stuff like that. I ain't never done that before, so maybe it's time. Now where the hell did I put my hammer???

If all goes well, I could possibly be back in Texas before it snows in Georgia. Well maybe not snow, but freeze my ass slap off. I have a destination in Texas, but that don't mean I won't go somewheres else before I get there. Next years travels will depend on the outcome of "kill'n nerves". Of course, I'll have to build up some muscles what ain't been used in a long time. Leg muscles so I can walk an' arm muscles so I can swak a golf ball. All them other ones, I don't need.

Smok'n??? Ha ha ha, the old Billy Bob probly ain't gonna never quit. Everthing I've tried, didn't work. Patches, gum, sunflower seeds, electronic cigarettes, heart surgery.....nuttin helped. It's too easy to find a "perfect" excuse to light up another one. I know, 'cause I been do'n it for many many years. I got COPD, but I ain't gonna blame it on just smok'n. Shoot, I breath atmospheric air ever day. Jet engine exhaust. Car exhaust. Pollen. Burned food fumes. Human farts. Blow'n dust an' dirt.....just to name a few. That stuff ain't good for ya.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

In order for me to write a blog post, I have to first decide on a direction. In order to do that, I need a Walmart special notebook and a PENCIL. Ha ha ha LOLOLOLOL... not really. I'm just wanted to poke a pencil at ya again this morn'n.

Actually, I was think'n that yesterdays "pencil post" would bring some of the artists out of the closet. I used to be a artist, but that was a long time ago. Pencil art drawings an' acrylic paint on canvas. Sold one canvas at a flea market for $3 (spice).

That tug boat I showed ya yesterday. I sure do like that one. But the damn thing is too long...39 1/2 inches. An' I ain't got no 39 1/2 inches to spare.....27 or 28 is the max. Still look'n.

In case you're wonder'n, this new chair is still comfortable. But it ain't gonna fix nuttin. Just makes it a bit more bearable. Six more days to appointment. I ain't one bit excitis bout what they gonna do. In my book, temporary means exactly what it says.....TEMPORARY. An' temporary don't last very long.

When I was in the business, I used to make temporary repairs while wait'n on parts. Not all temporary repairs do what they supposed to do. Some work, some don't. That's what these dad gum doctors have planned for me.....but they ain't got no parts ordered.

But, there is another procedure called a laminotomy. It's done by laser through a tube bout the size a Magic Marker. Take out all that stuff they was gonna do with the laminectomy.
Well shoot, got myself look'n at other minimally invasive back procedures for the last hour. Dang....choices.

Ok, we'll leave it at that. Will see what the doc say on the 14th. I would rather he ordered me up some parts than to do a botched up temporary repair. Shoot, I don't trust doctors. Bunch of rookies......Grrrrrrrrrr.

Last night was just like all them other nights....to bed at 3:30am. Then at 6:30, I waked up to one of them dad gum cough'n fits. Lasted almost a hour. "Gimme a light"!!! My god, I need some sleep.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

That photo up there on the top was when I first bought "that jeep". It still had the 4" lift kit on it an' great big ol' humongous tires. This was before I figger out it was a POS.
On the beach in Port Aransas, Texas with my two companions Lug Nut an' Sadie Mae.

Ha....I did some research on pencils. These Mirado Black Warrior pencils ain't necessarily the "best pencils in the world"....like I was think'n they was. I was just accustomed of us'n POS junk pencils all my life an' I come across one that was much better.

Robert gived me a pencil the other day. It's a carpenters pencil. Comes in a 15 pack sold by Lowes. That's the lumber sell'n place ya know. This pencil writes just like the above mentioned pencil. Only thing is, it ain't a shiny black pencil.....an' that does make a difference. Yellow an' octagon has no place in my life.

Ha ha, you didn't think I would write bout pencils did ya? Well...actually, pencils are a very important part of your life if'n ya write stuff down an' draw stuff.

Next!!!!

I have sleep issues. I watch the clock very closely ever even'n wait'n for 1am to roll around. That is my usual bed time since I've been in Georgia. The time changes across the country means I am still go'n to bed at my usual time. An' get'n up in the morn'ns at my usual time. In my mind, I don't do the time changes. That's kind of like "jet lag" in my book. But....recently, when 1am (clock time) rolls around, I ain't a bit sleepy. So I stay up for another hour or two....or three. Sleep my 6 hours, or 7, an' start a brand spank'n new day.

But......

Brand spank'n new days suck. It takes me no less than two hours ever morn'n to get this old body loose enough to move around. Damn hip. On top of that, I been sit'n when I should be walk'n. I am weak. It's a chore to walk. So I sit back down. See what I'm talk'n bout? Now I remember a time, not too far in the past, I said I would never do what I'm do'n now. I would walk, move around, keep my muscles in tune. Ha, you should see me do that today. I ain't in too good a shape. An' I frick'n hurt.

The "fix it" list has only bout three items left on it. All very important. Now I have a new one to add to the list. Something is terribly wrong with my solar power. An' somebody has got to climb up there on the roof. The sun is shin'n good an' bright....my charge is only 3.5 amps. It should be close to 14 amps with two "high dollar" solar panels. The battery voltage is 12.9 volts. It should be 14.4 volts. I'm think'n something ain't right.
OOOPS...dad gum cloud just roll in. Will get back to this later.

Me an' Robert was talk'n the other day. He says to me...."daddy, ya need to do something, build something". See, he don't like to see me sit'n on my ass all day neither. Well, I been think'n every angle on build'n something. "Sally da house" don't need no new stuff built, but dad gum it, I need to do something with my hands. A hobby.

I been think'n for some time bout build'n me another boat. A remote control boat. You remember the Mississippi river boat I built....right? That took a freak'n year....plus some. An' it still could use some more "build'n" to complete it. It sits on the wall.

Of course you remember the airplane I builded back in '04.....an' ain't never flew it. It sleeps in a compartment below. My god, that was 10 years ago.

I like tug boats. I like sailboats too. But where the hell can ya put a sailboat in a motorhome? The mast is bout 4 feets tall. Put'n it in the bedroom is out, even though there is room back there now that I cleaned it. Nobody would ever see it....'cept'n for me when I go to bed. So I'm think'n a sailboat is out. But that tug boat, I got plenty room for one them. Right over there on top that other cabinet in the liv'nroom.

Something like this.
More on this after I do some Google. I sure as hell don't want to take up knit'n or nuttin like that.

Monday, October 6, 2014

On this trip to Georgia, "Sally da house" had starter problems. Some of ya probly forgot all bout that a long time ago. But the old Billy Bob don't forget stuff like that. I needs fixed.

Now...just how do ya make a starter repair a little bit interesting? "Herb, hand me that wrench over there". "Spice, shut the hell up an' git out the way".
Bla bla bla....fix'n starters. Car starters are simple to work on. Shoot, cars are simple to work on. But this is a great big ol' motorhome....an' things are a bit different. Don't ask me why they are different 'cause I ain't got no idea. Some kind of safety shit I suppose. Either that or some dealership big wigs got together an' decided the "starter control circuit" would run through the "PCM" (Powertrain Control Module), an' be controlled by little electronic doo-dads an' gizmos. I'm tell'n ya folks, no person in their right mind would do that.

But alas...."Sally da house" has a starter system that runs through the PCM. Me an' Robert spent a good 4 hours check'n voltages, trac'n wires, pull'n relays....an' cuss'n. Drawings were made on how a "regular" starter works. Internet searches were made for wiring diagrams. We were at a dead end.

"Oh wait Robert, look what I found". A complete wiring diagram for a 2004 Workhorse W22. 56 pages of wiring diagrams for anything electrical on a Workhorse W22. But....I ain't got a W22. I got a P32. It should be the same....right? Scroll scroll scroll....look see look see....where the hell is the starter wiring diagram. Oh, there it is, right at the top. From the ignition switch, the start wire goes straight to the PCM. From there it goes to the starter relay. From there it goes to the starter solenoid. An' then, the motor cranks up. Simple huh?

Ok, here's my problem. I turn the key to start. The engine cranks up. That's good huh? Well there are times that it don't do nuttin. Just a click behind the BCC (battery control center). Turn the key to off, wait 5 seconds. Turn the key to start an'....walla, the engine cranks up. But....there are times, all it do is that little click. I'm scratch'n my head...this ain't right. I know it an' Workhorse knows it. POS big wigs and their grand ideas.

All 12 volt systems were disconnected to reset computers. Mainly the PCM computer. It still don't work. This is where we stand today on "fix'n a starter".

Now, I suppose I could mention pencils. Not everbody uses pencils, but the old Billy Bob do. I use lots of 'em. Been us'n 'em since the first grade. By the way, when I started school, they had ink wells at every desk. We used dip ink pens way back then. Go home every day with blue stained fingers.

Anyhows, from a early age, I drawed stuff. Lots of stuff. Draw a dad gum fence post, a fireman truck....landscapes, mountains an' shit like that. But, find'n a good pencil for draw'n was next to impossible. The lead was either too hard or too soft. Break the lead ever time ya sharpen 'em. The erasers were junk. They still sell the same junk pencils at any Walmart ya go to.

But, one day I was in Walmart, just look'n round ya know, an' I spied a new brand of pencils I ain't never see before.

I purchased a pack of these things an' MY GOD, these are the best pencils I ever use in my whole life time. The lead is a medium between #1 an' #2. It's perfectly center in the round wood. The eraser removes mistakes like I ain't never see. But...Walmart don't carry them no more an' I only got bout 8 left. Office Depot ain't got none. Staples don't got none. Online I found them, but I ain't gonna pay no $7.95 for shipping. So NO, I did not buy pencils. Anybody that does pencil art, I recommend you get yourself some of these pencils.

Now back to my back ailments. My god, I love my new chair. Now I ain't say'n that my back don't hurt none, but it sure do feel somewhat better. The pain in the vertibrea (sp) don't hurt none this morn'n. But that dad gum right hip sure is do'n a number on me. Only 8 more days till my next doctor appointment. Hope he do more than talk that first visit.

Ha....was it cold? You can bet yer bippie it was cold. Night before last got down to 40 degs. Day time yesterday was 68.....or so. To some, that's perfect weather. But for the old Billy Bob, that's "winter".

Bout this blog stuff. Boy howdy, I been hav'n me a really hard hard time with it. I see I've lost a couple three or eight more followers in the last week or so. But there ain't nuttin I can do bout that. With nuttin excit'n go'n on in my life, I ain't got nuttin excit'n to write home about. But I'll continue on with what I got.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

I could just leave it at that, but I'm gonna tell ya HOW I got this new chair.

Ya see, I was sit'n here yesterday morn'n, try'n to figger out what I was gonna do for the rest of the day. Sadie Mae start bark'n her fool head off. "What the hell Sadie Mae, what are you bark'n at"? Robert walks in the door. "Are ya hungry daddy"? We headed down the road to Douglasville, bout 20 miles to I-Hop, by way of back roads through redneck country. Man boy howdy, you talk bout eat'n too much....I was stuffed. Had me a breakfast sampler....two of everthing.

"Robert, I need some pencils, pull into that Office Depot over there". They ain't got my brand of pencils (Mirado Black Warrior). I sitted in a office chair wait'n for Robert....not the one above. OD is marked off the list.

We pull into Lowes lumber sell'n place. Maybe they have some C.H. Hanson Sure Point finish pencils. But I'm look'n at foldable lawn chairs, they don't got the pencils, an' they don't got foldable lawn chairs. I need to replace these POS Academy ones that only last two years. I suppose they would last longer if'n ya didn't put 'em out on the lawn. Lowes is marked off the list for pencils an' lawn chairs.

"Daddy, ya wanna ride to Carrollton Georgia"? Back roads for the next hour or so, I spy a Staples store. Pencils cross my mind. I find the pencil section. They don't got my pencils. I'm need'n to sit down for a minute. There's a office chair sit'n there on display. "Oh my god, this is one comfortable chair". So's I buys it. We take it home, put it together an' throws that other chair out the door.

Last night I sit in that chair watch'n TV. Dang, this feels good. Nice lumbar support. Soft seat 'specially made for my ach'n butt. My pain level falls. Fast foward to this morn'n. I ain't all crookit this morn'n. Pain level is below a easy 4. I feel like I can do something productive today.
Bet at your own risk.

Oh oh, it was freak'n cold this morn'n. Lower 50's or there bouts. I would welcome a nice 90 deg day any time compared to "freez'n to death". 63 degs as I type at 1pm.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Well shoot, I'm gonna jump in here with both feet an' write something this morn'n. Like I do every morn'n, it will be nothing of interest. But, it's something to read.

So what did I do yesterday? Well you didn't think I was gonna sit here an' leave that part at the auto parts store did ya? Me an' Sadie Mae went up there an' we pick that sucker up. Little ol' box with a hunnert an' some dollars ($147) worth of stuff in it. I throwed it in the floorboard on Sadie Mae's side. In my mind, I'm think'n son Billy said he was gonna come visit again this weekend. This would be a perfect job for Billy....spend a couple hours chang'n out the a/c clutch.

I got back to "da house", sit down outside in my "sit down outside" chair.....sip'n up a cup an' do'n some think'n. "I need to check the thermostat on the "billy jeep", check to see if'n it's leak'n". It weren't. But, while I was under the hood, that dad gum broke a/c clutch was star'n me in the face....say'n "change me". Well shoot, I can do that.

It don't come apart anywheres as easy as you might think. I had to "modify" some tools to get that sucker off. After many "sit downs", a few cuss'n words, all them parts are lay'n on the ground. Ain't nuttin busted. Two snap rings give me the fits. All new parts are installed in record time....bout 3 freak'n hours. Ok, here's where experience come into play. When I turn that a/c on, the clutch don't engage to make cold air. Now a regular ol' backyard mechanic would take it all apart again or he would call his auto a/c mechanic friend for advice. Billy Bob don't do stuff that way. He grab holt to a hammer an' swak that clutch. It kicks in just like a brand spank'n new one. It's not know'n HOW to swak a clutch, it's know'n WHERE to swak a clutch. I close the hood. I ain't got no water leak an' I got a a/c what blows cold air.

I just check the USPS track'n place. The actuator is in Portland Oregon. I'm think'n a week I'll be reinstall'n that sucker back up under "Sally da house".

While the computer is still on, I paid my insurance on "da house". My god, they went up again.

Ok, have ya ever been fight'n one pain an' ya get another one. I got me a freak'n tooth that is kill'n me. This is the tooth I tole that dad gum dentist to pull out last year. He pulled the one under it, so there is absolutely no use for this tooth. It just sits there "do'n nuttin". I can wiggle it, it has a infection under it an' I ain't got no antibiotics. An' this ain't been the first time this happen....dad gum dentist. Now I know this ain't the correct procedure, but I took me a toothpick, insert it at the end that tooth....an' push it in. Blood comes out. The pressure is relieved. Oh my god, that feels good. Insert mouthwash an' I'm good to go for a few hours.

I bet ya ain't been keep'n track of the weather. My god, winter will be here tomorrow or the next day. They talk'n lows in the 40's. For a freak'n week.

I was sit'n here last night. My back weren't hurt'n too bad an' I got to think'n bout swak'n some golf balls across the street. Ain't nuttin over there but woods, so I ain't gonna be hit'n no houses. An' if'n there ain't no cars in the street, I won't be hit'n no cars. It's still just a thought this morn'n, but I may just go out there in the yard an' "do it".

Thursday, October 2, 2014

I hitchhiked from Palmdale Ca. to Ridgecrest Ca. My god, I was only 16 year old, had me this little bag what contained the few clothes I owned.....an' I had me some loose change in my pocket. I had become a man.

The clothes in the bag were not store bought clothes. They was hand me downs from the few friends I had. Fergie, Ernie an' Dennis. My two years liv'n in Palmdale was a liv'n hell if'n ya ask me. I lived with my "beer drink'n" dad. Ya don't get new clothes when ya live with a "beer drink'n" dad what don't give a shit.....ya know.

If ya ain't never lived in a beer drink'n house, ya don't know what hunger is. Ya don't know what loneliness is. Ya don't know what family life is. There weren't none of that in Palmdale. I was the raggity little kid that walked the streets at all hours of the night. I was the kid that ate a home cooked meal at Fergie, Ernie or Dennis's house once a week. My teen years sucked....that is until I hitchhiked from Palmdale to Ridgecrest. The next two years of my teen life was real. I lived with Uncle Luke an' Aunt Myrt.

Sometimes when I'm down, I think back on years like that. This is one of them days. It gives me a better view an' understand'n of the "rest of my life". It gives me reason to feel proud of where I am today....an' how I got here. Man!!!....it weren't easy by no means.

Yesterday weren't all that bad. I made me a trip to the post office an' mailed off the actuator thingy for the autopark brake system on "da house". Stopped by the auto parts sell'n place an' ordered a brand spank'n new a/c compressor clutch for the "billy jeep". Ha....an' I got lost. Took a wrong turn by the directions from a local Villa Rica police officer. The clutch part is await'n me as I sit here typ'n my lifes story.

Up at 5:30am this morn'n. This is two days in a row I waked up this early an' couldn't go back to sleep. Ain't nobody gets up while it's still dark outside. Well, wait a minute. If'n ya got a tee time for 7am, ya get up early. Same with a fish'n trip, ya get up early. Other than that, I don't see no need to be wast'n the best sleep'n hours sit'n around in the dark wait'n for the sun to come up. But I know a few who do.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

I was sit'n here yesterday morn'n....I got to think'n. "Ya gotta git up an' do something". Ain't nobody gonna help me, so I got to do it myself. Yes things have changed.

A pile of tools are dragged out the tool compartment....an' Im gonna fix them drawers what don't stay closed go'n round corners. I'm do'n pretty good, chang'n out little screws with great big ones....I fix the hall drawer. Sounds easy huh? Well, it weren't, not even a little bit easy.

The drawer I builded under the refrig., it needs a device to hold it in also. Go round a corner a hunnert mile a hour....it slings open. *hunnert mile a hour especially for Dizzy Dick* In the bedroom is a cabinet door with the exact "hold a door closed" device I need. I remove the device. Now the damn cabinet door gonna be fly'n in the wind. "Pssssssttt, Billy Bob, velcro". A short narrow strip is applied....door works just fine.

Here comes my other son, Billy. I'm sit'n on the floor in front that dad gum drawer....cuss'n. "Hi daddy, whatcha do'n"? Billy assists me in fix'n that drawer. He's such a good boy. Two drawers have been repaired.

Then...Billy go outside an' start tear'n the "billy jeep" slap apart. He changed the thermostat an' refill it with antifreeze. He's such a good boy. We crank it up to remove air from the ststem....an' turn the a/c on as cold as it go. It don't get cold at all. The compressor clutch ain't kick'n in. Oh boy, one more item for the "fix it" list.

Now I know some stuff bout fix'n a/c's an' stuff like that, I grab holt to some tools....an' a multimeter. I
start check'n voltages. The connecter thingy to the clutch magnetic
coil has 13.4 volts. That's a good sign. The magnetic coil is
ohmed.....open circuit. It needs replaced. That's where we stand today on the a/c repair. Auto parts store, here I come....but maybe not today.

While Billy is chang'n the thermostat, I am' over there clean'n that other day/night shade. Holy cows, that looks pretty dad gum good. I'm done.

This is before it was removed for clean'n. It's a "new" color now. *wait'n for Robert for installation*

This is after a good warsh'n with Simple Green....good stuff.

Bout my back issues, I been in misery for the last two days an' today ain't much different. Can ya hear that bulldozer run'n in the background????

About Me

Ya ain't talk'n to an ordinary man when ya view my blog. I'm different.
Retired a few years ago and been "on the road again" ever since. I have a 35 foot motor home what is pretty much self contained for off grid boondocking. I make stuff and enjoy life for what it is.